A trio of pretty intimate affairs today in our
discoveries' series. Slow wonders ahead!
The Catenary Wires. Tricky one I know. Does
Amelia Fletcher needs any presentation? Of course not. She's one of the genuine indiepop heroines. Alongside Rob Pursey they have written some of the most unforgettable
indiepop history of the past 30 years: Talulah Gosh, Heavenly, Marine Research, Tender Trap... Now they have a new project together, born after the two left London to live in the countryside, with Tender Trap disbanded. Not a lot to do except start penning songs on acoustic guitar for their own entertainment until they were invited to play at the Arnolfini Art Gallery in Bristol, at an event celebrating another myth, Sarah Records. The set mixed Heavenly tunes with some new material, with such promising results the
duo has transformed the homemade songs into a
mini album, “
Red Red Skies”, out since June on
Elefant Records. Eight back-to-basics magic songs. A moment of serene, stark, pensive and melancholic beauty, where melodies, intertwined vocals and words weight a ton.
So good to have Amelia & Rob back in our lives!
Shana Cleveland & The Sandcastles. Let me introduce you
Shana Cleveland, a multi-talented (musician, writer, painted, graphic designer) artist living in Seattle. Our hyperactive woman leads two bands, the garage combo La Luz and this folky-tinged affair on which she's been performing with a rotating cast of musicians tagged as
The Sandcastles. Although this music project started six years ago, the bulk of '
Oh Man, Cover The Ground', her debut album, out right now on
Suicide Squeeze Records, was recorded in 2011 in Shana’s basement. Breezy and heavily melodic, Shana and Co are able to summon the spirits of fingerpicking masters like John Fahey or Robbie Basho and channel them into pop casual, laid-back, gorgeous pills.
The most beautiful soundtrack of the summer ahead.
Morels. And we end in Baltimore, Maryland, to meet this new dreampop/shoegaze quintet, active since early 2014 comprising current and former members of The Warlocks, Bad Liquor Pond and The Flying Eyes. After the exciting '
Raygun', first single appearing past February, now they present "
Lemonseeds EP", available digitally, anticipating forthcoming debut album. Waves crashing into the rocks, icy, ethereal landscapes, instants captured into blissful noises. Sepia prints invoking moments now long gone.
Slowdive meeting
Real Estate. Add
Morels to your "bands to follow list".
They are fated to take you on an unforgettable music trip.
Knife Pleats. My beloved Rose Melberg is back! The indie-pop legend (The Softies, Go Sailor, Tiger Trap) has a new and extremely exciting project, the latest from a pivotal artist after the recent Brave Irene and PUPS, aside of going solo. The leading part of a quartet that includes Kaity McWhinney and Tracey Vath from Love Cuts, plus drummer Gregor Phillips, Melberg formed the group because she had a new batch of songs that she felt really needed a full band treatment. What a wise choice! 'Hat Bark Beach', released by our friends at Jigsaw Records on late September is a killer. Fuzzed pop, joyful and alive with Rose's trademark vocals, her unmatched talent for melodies and vocal harmonies. What a comeback! 
La Luz. Close ride from British Columbia to Seattle, WA,, to meet this quartet formed in the summer of 2012 and leaded by Shana Cleveland, which was already featured in the Blog with her other project with The Sandcastles. Very quickly they came out with 'Damp Face', self-released debut EP that September. A year later arrived 'It's Alive' first LP on Hardly Art Records. After and EP with Old Lacy Bed and the 7" 'Brainwash', since August we can enjoy their sophomore album 'Weirdo Shrine', produced by Ty Segall. Vintage surf-pop (it's hard not to think on Link Wray) but infused with an urgency and vibrant energy that is automatically contagious. Infinite guitars, celestial vocals in perfect harmony and vibes from distant, sunny places. Turn on the bright lights!
Martha Ffion. And we cross the Atlantic Ocean to meet the Irish, but based in Glasgow, artist Claire Martha Ffion McKay. She started to make her a name with irresistible debut EP 'Go', out in October 2014. The singer-songwriter approach became something else when Ffion starting performing with a full band, sharing bills with the likes of Honeyblood or Jessica Pratt. Now the three first tunes have had two wonderful follow-ups this year with the single ‘No Applause’ / ‘Lead Balloon’, out in May on Lost Map Records and, more recently with the shiny 'So Long', out now on Turnstile Records. Think on Angel Olsen and Nancy Sinatra, or a less-slacker version of our beloved Courtney Barnett in love with the Shangri-Las. Pop with retro and surf vibes delivered with a punchier, hazier edge without losing any of their arresting charms. More soon please!
